Fumble return changes momentum, and Tigers roll from there

SMITHFIELD — Tabb High used a big defensive play to overcome a slow start and then, to borrow from the player who made it, "never looked back" in rolling to a 46-21 win over Smithfield in their Bay Rivers District football game Friday.

Reeling early against Smithfield's ground attack, the Tigers settled down after Antwuan Hicks returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. From there, the Tigers rolled up 387 yards rushing — 165 and three touchdowns from Brent Hinson and another 130 and two TDs from Robert Smith — to win going away.

By vanquishing one of the 2012 district co-champions, the Tigers (2-1, 2-0 district) set up a huge early showdown against the other, Lafayette (3-0, 2-0), on Friday at Bailey Field. The Tigers are off to their best start in several years.

"It's a great feeling," Hinson said. "Our season and my season are going the way we want.

"I have to give all of the credit for my personal success to the line. They are playing their hearts out and doing their thing."

The Tabb line of Matt Staul, Mark Youker, Nick Beaton, Dylan Clark, Josh Hopingardner and Ben Burdett was dominant, and it got plenty of help from hard-blocking wingback Austin Hehir. But they and the rest of the Tigers did not gain their footing until Hicks made the play that blunted Smithfield's early charge.

The Packers looked like they wanted to land a knockout blow on the Tigers in the first minutes. Jamarie Wrenn ran for 11 yards on the Packers' first play from scrimmage, before freshman Donald King (20 carries, 140 yards) broke 41 yards up the middle on the second play for a touchdown to give the Packers a 7-0 lead 24 seconds after the opening kickoff.

Led by linebacker Nick Kennedy, the Packers stopped Tabb on three downs to force a punt, then used the run again to drive to the Tigers' 10. Bruce Cypress kick-started the drive with a 26-yard run, followed by King's run for 11.

Lowell Patrone's 6-yard pass completion and 12-yard run had the Packers within 10 yards of a second early touchdown. But on the next play, Patrone's handoff eluded Cypress, who batted the ball all the way back to the 30, where Hicks scooped it up and ran 70 yards to tie the game at 7.

"I was thinking, just don't look back," Hicks said as he sprinted down the left sideline.

The play stunted Smithfield's momentum, which Tabb seized late in the first quarter. A short punt and a 15-yard penalty — one of seven against the Packers in the first half — set up Tabb's go-ahead touchdown: a 19-yard run by Hinson.

"After that, the offensive line did a tremendous job and the defense stepped up."

Hinson's 33-yard run on the next series set up Smith's 12-yard touchdown run as the Tigers surged to a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter. Smithfield drove to the Tabb 12 on its next series, but Hicks stopped the Packers again, this time with an interception in the end zone.

The Tigers went back to the ground to stretch their lead to 27-7 at half. Hinson started the eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 16-yard run and finished it with a 20-yard TD run on which he broke several tackles. In between, Smith had a 15-yard run and Tahj Lake one for 28.

Tabb's control continued into the second half, particularly on the ground. The Tigers have run for 666 yards the past two games.